Kongko and Betawi Community Traditions

  

(Source: Pinterest / wartabuitenzorg)

 

The Betawi people have long known the term Kongko (Kongkow). The term kongko is usually practiced by the Betawi community in the form of gathering or chatting seriously but still relaxing. This has become a tradition for the Betawi people. Among young people, the term kongko has begun to shift to the term Nongkrong.

 

Quoted from historijakarta.com, it turns out that kongko in KBBI means having meaningless conversations or chatting. Meanwhile, Abdul Chaer (Jakarta Malay Dialect Dictionary) Kongko is an uptake of the Betawi Malay dialect which means chatting without end. Kongko comes from Chinese, which literally means telling stories about everything that happened in the past.

 

It makes perfect sense because it is closely related to the family habits of the peranakan Chinese community in Betawi. It is said that they often gather with each other in the courtyard of the house in the afternoon to tell the past more often about their ancestors. Kongko has become very familiar in every Chinatown area such as Taman Sari, Glodok, Pasar Baru, Gunung Sahari and at other points (bolong.id: 2020).

 

Not only one person tells the story, but also from the people who come together accompanied by Kue Satu, Candied Yanwo, sometimes Tea and Coffee or Ciu (a type of wine). Furthermore, this habit has become a tradition after being adapted by the Betawi people such as sitting in the bale in front of the house, the culinary delights are also varied such as Roti Gambang, Lopis Cake, Urap Sticky Rice, Coffee and Tea which are not too sweet.

 

As time goes by, the discussion has not only focused on the past, the Betawi kongko has widened to the issues that are currently happening. Farther than the impression talks to fill spare time.

 

Besides filling spare time, it turns out that from the kongko opens up a mindset and insight and can get information on how to solve family life problems. This is also an attempt by the Betawi people to maintain friendship and build kinship. The kongko tradition has had an impact on emotional dependence among the Betawi people.